Paprika Anime Analysis
Paprika is an incredibly complex and entertaining anime. It takes us to a different world and shows us incredible events mainly from the perspective of Doctor Atsuko Chiba and Detective Toshimi Konakawa. Chiba leads a research team in the development of a device to be used in psychotherapy called the DC Mini. She begins using it to treat Konakawa, but someone steals the DC Mini and throws the world into chaos as dreams and reality begin to merge. Paprika is a representation of contemporary Japanese society, as it deals with the problems of becoming an increasingly technological society.
Paprika shows the dangers and benefits of technology. The idea that technology can have both good and bad components is common to many other sci-fi anime, apocalyptic genres, and mecha. JP Telotte calls the idea of celebrating technology while mistrusting its destructive and dehumanizing potential as “double vision” (Napier 86). Paprika shows several examples of how technology, represented by the DC Mini, can be used to benefit humanity. Chiba uses the DC Mini medically to treat Konakawa’s recurring nightmares and ultimately resolve her psychological conflict. The DC Mini is also an empowering device. It opens up the dream world in a way that people can learn to actively solve their internal psychological problems. Konakawa finally solves his problem of dealing with the death of his friend by confronting his problems in the dream world. Chiba uses her alternate personality called Paprika in the dream world to help others through psychotherapy. The DC Mini is shown as a technology that can have great potential to help others.
Paprika also features apocalyptic visions of Japan through her interaction with the DC Mini. The President steals the DC Mini in an attempt to merge everyone’s dreams, resulting in blurred lines between reality and dreams. This shows the potential for technology to be selfishly used to carry out an individual’s personal wishes leading to chaos in the world. Furthermore, this could be interpreted as a critique of the ability of technology to disengage people from reality and rely on “comfort through escape” (Figal). Figal applies this idea specifically to the media represented in Paranoia Agent, but a similar idea can be applied to the concept of DC Mini in Paprika. In the dream world, even when people are drawn into the chaotic parade of dreams created by the president, people are shown to be in a happy state of madness.
Technology also has an ambiguous influence on identity. This is shown through Chiba’s personality in contrast to Paprika, her alternate form. Chiba is shown to be a very serious woman, somewhat introverted and committed to her work, while Paprika is very outgoing and carefree. This could represent the struggle for identity on an individual level for people living in a high-tech world. This presents both positive and negative aspects of the technology. The DC Mini allows Chiba to explore and display different aspects of herself in different worlds (the real world and the tech / dream world accessed through the DC Mini), but her two sides conflict with each other. This really manifests itself in discussions between the two characters. So while technology can provide a way for people to express various aspects of themselves that they might not otherwise be able to, it can also present conflicts between different aspects of themselves that someone cannot reconcile with.
Paprika presents the idea of ”double vision” of technology. The DC Mini can be used both to heal and empower, but also to take over the world and destroy order. It can provide a method for people to express their conflicting sides.
Cited works
Figal, Gerald. “Monstrous Media and Illusory Consumption on Kon Satoshi’s Agent of Paranoia”. Mechademia, 2010: 139-155. Web. DOI: 10.1353 / mec.2010.0013.
Napier, Susan. Anime from Akira to Howl’s Howl’s Moving Castle. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Printing.